How to Recognize and Create Damn Good Job-Aidsperegrine.us.com/damngoodja/damngoodjobaids.pdf ·...

W E E N A B L E S U C C E S S

How to Recognize and Create Damn Good Job-Aids

Joe Halpin

Russ Powell

Jozsef Horvath

Peregrine Performance Group

Peregrine Performance GroupDamn Good Job Aids

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Game Plan

• Who are we? Why are we here?

• What is a damn good job-aid?

• Advantages?

• “Good” vs. “bad” job-aids?

• How to create an exemplary one?

• How to take some of this with you?

Despite its major payoffs,

the job aid is a vastly

underused tool.

– Paul Elliott, Handbook of

Human Performance

Technology (1999)

Peregrine Performance GroupDamn Good Job Aids

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We Are: Shifting the Performance Curve

Top PerformersQuality and/or Quantity

of Performance

Percentage

of Workforce

ROI on the

performance-

improvement

initiative

Peregrine Performance GroupDamn Good Job Aids

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We Are: Helping US and Global Organizations

Fortune 500

Hi-techFood, Bev,

Hospitality

Biotech,

Pharma

Financial Other

Peregrine Performance GroupDamn Good Job Aids

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Game Plan

• Who are we? Why are we here?

• What is a damn good job-aid?

• Advantages?

• “Good” vs. “bad” job-aids?

• How to create an exemplary one?

• How to take some of this with you?

Despite its major payoffs,

the job aid is a vastly

underused tool.

– Paul Elliott, Handbook of

Human Performance

Technology (1999)

Peregrine Performance GroupDamn Good Job Aids

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The Damn Good Job Aid – What Is It?

• Repository for information, processes or perspectives

• External to the individual

• Supports work activity

• Directs, guides and/or enlightens

• Exemplary, works very well The differentiator between

good and “damn good”

Whether a poster, a pencil, a

manual, a sticky note, or an

application – it must store and

make accessible the

information, processes or

perspectives on which human

work and activity are based.

– Allison Rossett, Handbook

of Job Aids (paraphrased)

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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The Damn Good Job-Aid, What It’s NOT

• A tool (e.g., screwdriver, office chair, pencil)

• Instruction (e.g., training)

• Unusable (e.g., poorly designed, poorly written, incorrect, incomplete, difficult to find)

Instruction happens

BEFORE the need arises.

Job-aids are used AS the

need arises.

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Advantages of Job-Aids

• Just-in-time availability

• Simplicity

• Relevance

• Saves time

• Reduces need to recall information

• Minimizes errors

Inside every fat course,

there’s a thin job-aid

crying to get out.

– Joe Harless

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Advantages > Example > Electronics Manufacturer

One-week training course reduced to one day

with accompanying eight-page job aid.

Proficiency increased by 50%.

Joe Harless, job aids workshop

56 hours

- OR -

One day, a job

aid, and better

performance

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Advantages > Example > Chemical Company

Reduced error rate in insecticide formulation

from 10% to 1% by using two-page job aid.

$50,000

expense

- OR -

$5,000 expense

and two-page

job aid

Joe Harless, job aids workshop

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Advantages > Example > High-tech

When troubleshooting a system, no significant

difference was found between the performance

of (a) an experienced group of expert

technicians and (b) an inexperienced group of

non-expert technicians who employed a job

aid.

Five “expert”

technicians

($10,000)

- OR -

Five “non-expert”

technicians with job

aids ($2,500), who

can accomplish the

same results

Joe Harless, job aids workshop

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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When to Use a Job Aid

• Task is performed with low frequency

• Task is unusually complex (has many steps, requires fine discrimination of stimuli)

• Failure results in dire consequences

• Steps change often

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Examples

• Solar Power System Quality Check

• Aircraft Emergency Checklists

• Social Media Channel Management

• Health Services, Differential Diagnosis

• Pharma/Bio-tech Safety Communications

• Surgical Safety Checks

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Residential Rooftop Solar Power System Installation Quality Check (Media: Paper Extended)

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Aircraft Emergency Checklists (Media: Paper and/or Digital)

Large, modern

jetliner

Small, light

aircraft

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Social Media Channel Management Best Practices for Engagement (Media: Paper/ Digital Extended)

Peregrine Performance GroupDamn Good Job Aids

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Differential Diagnosis, Work-up Prior to Visit w/ Medical Officer (Media: Paper Extended)

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Pharma/Bio-tech, Safety Communications Team – Decision Making Tool (Media: Digital)

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See also Atul Gawande’s TED

Talk “How we heal medicine”

and book Checklist Manifesto

World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist (Media: Paper and/or Digital)

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

Uncover:

• Ideal outcome

• Problem to be solved

• Environmental influences

• Accomplished performers

• Ideal way to perform the

task

• Common errors,

misjudgments

• Special circumstances

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

If possible:

• Obtain buy-in from,

alignment with managers

• Confirm expectations are

clear, workers are

receiving feedback

• Confirm tools are working

Consider:

• How will the job-aid be

introduced?

• Who will enforce, reinforce

its use?

Peregrine Performance GroupDamn Good Job Aids

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Performance Analysis Flowchart

Useful for analyzing perfor-

mance, identifying non-training

solutions (i.e., often faster,

less expensive), and aligning

with managers and other

stakeholders.

This is available on

our resources page

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

If possible:

• Obtain buy-in from,

alignment with managers

• Confirm expectations are

clear, workers are

receiving feedback

• Confirm tools are working

Consider:

• How will the job-aid be

introduced?

• Who will enforce, reinforce

its use?

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

Formats:

• Step

• Checklist

• Worksheet

• Decision table

• Flowchart

Media:

• Poster

• Paper extended (“quick

start” guide)

• App / Digital

• Audio

• Video

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JobAider App

Try JobAider for free!

Download from

Google Play

ppg.fyi/6

–or–

iTunes App Store

ppg.fyi/5

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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The Value of Performance Support Apps

• Smoother business operations

• Employee empowerment

• Faster change implementation

• Better process control

• Knowledge management

• Risk reduction

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

• Focus on the how. What

does it do for the user?

• Be clear, direct

• Use simple language

• Lead with action verbs

• Present information in

small bits.

• As needed:

• Provide examples

• Use graphics,

drawings, photos

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

Use:

• “Real world” end users

• Representatives of worker

population

Ask:

• Where did you have

difficulty?

• Is it complete, accurate?

• Missing any special

circumstances?

• Would you (your

colleagues) like a copy?

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

• Test, revise, test, revise

• This (with previous step)

is what transforms

mediocre into good and

good into damn good!

• Use a revision system

• Obtain sign-offs from

key stakeholders

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

Consider:

• People

• Work environment

• Job-aid

• Revisions

• QR Code

Revision questions:

• Who initiates?

• Who implements?

• Who keeps track,

administers?

Peregrine Performance GroupDamn Good Job Aids

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Get a Copy of this Presentation

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

Consider:

• People

• Work environment

• Job-aid

• Revisions

• QR Code

Revision questions:

• Who initiates?

• Who implements?

• Who keeps track,

administers?

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Steps for Creating

1. Clarify desired output

2. Align with managers

3. Choose format, medium

4. Draft

5. Test

6. Revise

7. Manage

Peregrine Performance GroupDamn Good Job Aids

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Primary Sources

• Elliott, P., Job Aids, in Stolovitch and Keeps

(1999) Handbook of Human Performance

Technology

• Gawande, A. (2010) Checklist Manifesto

• Harless, J. (1980) Job Aids Workshop

• Rossett, A. (1991) Handbook of Job Aids

• Rossett, A. (2007) Job Aids and

Performance Support

Damn Good Job Aids Peregrine Performance Group

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Contact Info

Joe Halpin

• joe@peregrinepg.com

Russ Powell

• russ@peregrinepg.com

Jozsef Horvath

• jozsef@peregrinepg.com

JobAider

inquires

If you’d like to continue the

conversation, contact one

of us. We’d be delighted to

explore the content of this

presentation w/ you in

greater detail.

W E E N A B L E S U C C E S S

How to Recognize and Create Damn Good Job-Aids